Aircraft fuselage with composite pre-form

Abstract

A wide-body aircraft is disclosed with a fuselage section that includes a set of side-by-side fuselage lobes having a fuselage skin. A first woven composite preform positioned at a first intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes located at a first cusp of the side-by-side fuselage lobes. A second woven composite preform positioned at a second intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes located at a second cusp of the side-by-side fuselage lobes. Each of the first and second woven composite preforms are configured to receive a structural component, such that each of the first and second woven composite preforms accommodates vertical load imparted through the structural component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuselage comprising:
 a wide-body fuselage section comprising a set of side-by-side fuselage lobes having a fuselage skin; 
 a first woven composite preform positioned at a first intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes and located at a first cusp of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes; and 
 a second woven composite preform positioned at a second intersection of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes and located at a second cusp of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes,
 wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms are configured to receive a structural component, such that each of the first and second woven composite preforms accommodates a vertical load imparted through the structural component, 
 wherein the first and second woven composite preforms are co-cured with the fuselage skin of the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes to maintain a desired shape, and 
 wherein the first and second woven composite preforms are substantially Y-shaped. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes are arranged to define a non-circular cross-section along a lateral length of the wide-body fuselage section. 
     
     
       3. The fuselage of  claim 1 , further comprising a vertical tension member secured between the structural component received by each of the first and second woven composite preforms, the first and second woven composite preforms configured to distribute tensile or compressive loads from the vertical tension member. 
     
     
       4. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second woven composite preforms become rigid once co-cured. 
     
     
       5. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms is configured to transfers at least a portion of a pressure load between the fuselage skin and one or both of the first and second woven composite preforms. 
     
     
       6. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein the structural component is a tension member configured to manage tension between the first intersection and the second intersection. 
     
     
       7. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein the wide-body fuselage section comprises a plurality of floor beams arranged to support a cabin floor within the wide-body fuselage section between the first intersection and the second intersection; and a plurality of tension members arranged to pass through the cabin floor and to manage tension between the first intersection and the second intersection, wherein each of the plurality of tension members is configured to pass between two adjacent floor beams of said plurality of floor beams and to remain flexible under a compression load. 
     
     
       8. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second woven composite preforms comprise one or more legs extending from a non-planar base to define the substantially Y-shape. 
     
     
       9. The fuselage of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms are impregnated with a resin to be co-cured with the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes at a joint. 
     
     
       10. The fuselage of  claim 8  wherein base is configured to conform to an arced contour of the wide-body fuselage section and the legs are configured to secure structural component. 
     
     
       11. The fuselage of  claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more legs is tapered. 
     
     
       12. The fuselage of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second woven composite preforms comprises a plurality of strands that are woven together to form a structural distribution member for the set of side-by-side fuselage lobes and the structural component. 
     
     
       13. The fuselage of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of strands comprises at least one of carbon fiber, steel, or aluminum. 
     
     
       14. The fuselage of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of strands is arranged to define a plurality of strand bundles. 
     
     
       15. The fuselage of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of strands is twisted or braided to define the plurality of strand bundles.